COMMENTARY: On July 14, 1798, the Sedition Act was passed, making it illegal to publish negative content about the government, despite the First Amendment guaranteeing free speech and press. This highlights that freedom of the press and speech exist only if people exercise these rights, often challenging institutions that seek to limit them. Currently, it seems as if there's a concerning trend where many people support free speech only for themselves, not for others. With more on the subject in today's media commentary, here is MTSU Professor of Journalism, Dr. Larry Burriss... If you would like to hear more thoughts and opinions from Dr. Burriss, click the link below that highlights past commentaries.
About Dr. Burriss - Larry Burriss, professor of journalism, teaches introductory and media law courses. At the graduate level he teaches quantitative research methods and media law. He holds degrees from The Ohio State University (B.A. in broadcast journalism, M.A. in journalism), the University of Oklahoma (M.A. in human relations), Ohio University (Ph.D. in journalism) and Concord Law School (J.D.). He has worked in print and broadcast news and public relations, and has published extensively in both academic and popular publications. He has won first place in the Tennessee Associated Press Radio Contest nine times. Dr. Burriss' publications and presentations include studies of presidential press conferences, NASA photography, radio news, legal issues related to adolescent use of social networking sites, legal research, and Middle Earth.
